It is a common desire among many people to commune with nature by having contact with flora and fauna. In times past, such contact occurred frequently as a result of the rural condition of the population. However, increased urbanization saw masses of humanity moving from the rural environment into concentrated communities.
Urban development places high demands on land space, and it is not unusual for urban real estate to be extremely expensive on a surface square foot basis. Due to the value of land in urban communities, a relatively low percentage of land is devoted to parks and other open spaces wherein plants, such as trees, shrubbery, grassy areas as well as wildlife and other animals may live in harmony with the city dwellers.
Even where a park or other open space is available, many people desire to more closely associate themselves with plants and animals. This is especially true, in many instances, for apartment dwellers due to the paucity of green spaces appurtenant to apartment complexes. Accordingly, urban dwellers often place plants in their dwelling space, patios and yards as well as on balconies, window ledges, etc. This is true also even in suburban environments since outdoor furniture, cooking grills, storage units and the like compete for available space.
In addition to enjoying plants in their environment, many urban dwellers enjoy pets, wild birds and the like. In the case of wild birds, such people may desire to provide artificial nesting spaces, such as birdhouses, in order to attract the birds to viewing areas. For many people, the space devoted to birdhouses may also be the space devoted to planters, hanging baskets or other foliage receptacles. Even in those living quarters where more exterior space is available, there can be a competition between plant receiving receptacles and birdhouses for the available space.
Accordingly, there remains a need to provide new and improved items that conserve space while providing the benefits of flora and fauna in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The present invention is directed to meeting these needs.